Without a doubt, we treasure God primarily through his word. But I don’t think that we treasure God exclusively through his word. We can also treasure God through the wonderful gifts that he has given to us.

Real freedom came for me when I began, by God’s grace, to see that my cravings were for more than just food or sex. All my appetites were, at root, for an all-satisfying God. God will always be the better treasure, the more pleasing song. His music makes all the songs of the world pale in comparison.

Part of me wanted to chuckle at these extremely candid questions. But really, I have asked the same questions in different ways. The question isn’t as simple as “What if I don’t like the man I am supposed to marry?” but rather, “Do I trust that God is for me and gives good gifts to his children?”

Hiding sin is a self-shackling; it’s a false freedom. We think we are free because we feel like we are in control, but we are leashed to a lie. Covering our sin, deleting web histories, hiding receipts, erasing text messages—these are all landmines and no one will ever evade them all. “Be sure your sin will find you out” (Num. 32:23).

This is the event that changed everything for everyone in whole world! One perfect person, Jesus Christ, died and was raised back to life for everyone so that they could be free from selfishness and find real abundant life outside of themselves. This is new reality, and implication are huge, because it means that real self-giving love and authentic community are actually possible. It changes the way we look at everything.